IPSTDS Chapter 33

Chapter 33

“Also, he might be on his way right now.”

“…Lee Kangil?”

“Yes.”

Yoon Noah’s expression visibly turned grave. Just how much had he been through for his face to change so suddenly?

“Are you afraid of Lee Kangil?”

“No, it’s not that.”

“…”

“More importantly, Daon, shouldn’t you call home? Didn’t you say you have younger brothers there? Shouldn’t you tell them you’re coming late or not returning tonight?”

“Why? Just because Mr. Lee Kangil is coming, you’re trying to send me home now?”

“Ah, no! I just didn’t want you to feel uncomfortable.”

Kim Daon felt oddly offended.

They had gotten their hair done together at the salon, he’d allowed him to call him ‘hyung,’ and even invited him to stay the night—yet now he was trying to kick him out because another man was coming?

He didn’t want to go home like this.

Especially not tonight. Leaving Lee Kangil and Yoon Noah alone together could very well end in disaster.

He was the one who provoked Lee Kangil, so shouldn’t he take responsibility?

Daon tilted his head to the right, bringing his face closer to Yoon Noah’s. Close enough that they could feel each other’s breath.

Yoon Noah flinched at the sudden proximity.

He awkwardly tried to pull his head back as if to retreat, but Daon’s hand was faster.

Kim Daon gently grasped the slender nape of Yoon Noah’s neck.

“Hyung. There’s no need for me to call home.”

“…”

“I’m not a kid, you know.”

---

Nahyuk barely managed to suppress the gasp of admiration threatening to escape his lips.

‘This is crazy…’

His head was spinning from Kim Daon’s constant onslaught of charm.

If he didn’t get a grip on himself, he’d end up blurting, “Daon, you’re my favorite, so this is really hard for me,” and spill everything.

The way Daon looked him straight in the eye and spoke without hesitation was incredibly stimulating.

It made Nahyuk think, Can a person really be this attractive?

Come to think of it, Kim Daon was also the one who, in Flower in the Ashes, didn’t back down from the domineering Seo Dowoong and faced him head-on.

Daon seemed even more assertive now than he was in the original story.

When he said he wasn’t a kid, Nahyuk could only feel a strong presence from him.

The wildness hidden behind that pretty face didn’t seem out of place—it was almost unnervingly natural.

Looking at him with eyes full of an untraceable heat, Daon asked:

“Hyung. Do I still look like a kid to you?”

“…No. You’re not a kid.”

How could I possibly think you’re a kid when you’re looking at me like you’re about to devour me? Nahyuk swallowed dryly.

“Then I’ll stay the night. I’ve got tomorrow off anyway—this works out well.”

“Y-yeah, sure.”

“It’s my first time sleeping over at a hyung’s house. Kinda exciting.”

The satisfied smile on Daon’s face was nothing short of stunning.

Daon was the one who said he was excited, but Nahyuk was starting to feel fluttery himself.

If he kept facing Kim Daon like this, he was sure Daon would hear how fast his heart was racing.

“I’ll go get something for you to change into.”

Nahyuk stood up from the sofa with an awkward smile. Thankfully, Daon didn’t try to stop him.

Once back in the room, Nahyuk took a deep breath.

Daon, who had grown suddenly close, felt strangely seductive tonight.

Was he just seeing everything positively because Daon was his favorite? Was that why all of Daon’s actions seemed charming?

His feelings for Daon had never been sexual—he’d never imagined holding him, touching him, or dating him.

But…

‘Hyung. There’s no need to call home.’

‘I’m not a kid, you know.’

The moment he saw Daon say that and lick his lips with the tip of his tongue, Nahyuk felt a slow burn settle in his lower abdomen.

His legs crossed on their own, and he found himself squirming for no reason.

If Daon had pushed just a little further, Nahyuk might’ve had a reaction he wouldn’t have been able to hide.

“Whew, that was close. Get a grip.”

Daon probably didn’t mean anything by it—he couldn’t be getting this flustered and worked up on his own.

Nahyuk finally managed to pick out something big enough and not too flashy from Yoon Noah’s wardrobe. Even his casual wear was so extravagant that finding something plain was a challenge.

He made a mental note to buy more normal clothes.

Just then, there was a knock.

“Hyung? Are you done yet?”

“Yeah, just found it!”

“Can I open the door?”

“Sure.”

Daon cracked the door open and leaned against the doorway.

In his hand was a familiar object.

“Don’t tell me—it’s Kangil calling again?”

It was a phone, and the screen was lighting up from an incoming call.

“Yeah. He’s been calling like crazy tonight.”

“Give it to me. I’ll answer.”

Kangil must have something to say to him. There was no other reason to be this persistent.

Daon handed the phone over willingly. For a moment, he seemed to have a mischievous smile on his face.

Nahyuk pressed the call button the instant he got the phone. As he brought it to his ear, a harsh voice came through the receiver.

– Kim Daon, are you trying to die?

Did they fight or something?

Nahyuk responded fairly calmly.

“Kangil, this is Noah, not Daon.”

– …Yoon Noah?

“Yeah.”

He could occasionally hear someone telling Kangil to slow down. It sounded like he was driving.

Is he really on his way here, just like Daon said? But why?

Before Nahyuk could ask, Kangil’s voice cut in first.

– Did you really change clothes?

“…Clothes?”

Nahyuk glanced at Kim Daon.

Daon simply gave a slight nod as if to say, It’s fine to answer honestly.

– Answer me. I asked you a question.

“Yeah, I changed. Why?”

– Ha… Are you seriously that easy?

“What are you talking about?”

– Damn it, he said you owed him twice. Don’t tell me he already got you twice?

Got me? What got me?

Nahyuk couldn’t make any sense of what Kangil was saying.

“What the hell did you hear to make you say that?”

– Kim Daon must’ve said something, right?

Just then, a loud honk blared through the receiver.

And that voice telling him to slow down again. He was definitely driving recklessly.

“Kangil. I don’t care about anything else—just drive safely. I can still hear people telling you to slow down.”

Nahyuk had saved Kim Daon from a car accident not long ago. Only a few days had passed since then, so he was extra sensitive about cars.

And besides, if Kangil—who held the key to his survival—got hurt, it would be a huge problem.

– I’ll handle the driving. You just answer my question.

At that moment, Daon, who had been silently listening, reached out his hand.

“Hyung, if it’s too much, I’ll answer for you. I think I know what he’s talking about.”

Without much hesitation, Nahyuk handed the phone over.

He couldn’t keep up with what Kangil was saying, and Kangil was too agitated for any meaningful conversation.

More than anything, he trusted Daon. He had no doubt that Daon could handle this.

Taking the phone, Daon said one line to Kangil:

“If you’re that curious, come and check for yourself.”

Before Kangil could respond, Daon hung up.

It was a bold move, but not a bad one.

Maybe I should’ve just hung up too, Nahyuk thought, slightly regretting it.

“I figured if he kept calling, he might actually get into an accident, so I just hung up.”

“You did the right thing.”

“…”

“But Daon, did you say anything else?”

Daon tilted his head and replied vaguely.

“Hmm… Did I say I wanted to wash your clothes?”

“The ‘wash’ in that sentence—you’re talking about laundry, right?”

“Most people would assume that.”

But Lee Kangil wasn’t like most people. His thinking was eccentric, and his actions matched.

A ridiculous idea crossed Nahyuk’s mind.

Did Kangil seriously think that “wash” meant something… else? Something extremely private?

Realization struck him like a blow to the head, and his eyes went wide.

“But who knows. If the other person’s a pervert and a creep, they might’ve taken it the wrong way.”

Daon’s words confirmed Nahyuk’s suspicion.

At the same time, he noticed Daon’s gaze drift toward the zipper area of his pants.

A sharp breath escaped him. That look—so heavily suggestive—left him feeling breathless for some reason.

Now Nahyuk understood what kind of misunderstanding Kangil might be under.

“Daon… Don’t ever joke like that again.”

Daon replied with a sweet, innocent smile.

“Yes, hyung.”

His answer was so perfectly clean that Nahyuk couldn’t say anything more. All he could do was let out a dry sigh.